Joesef
{{Short description|Scottish singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = person
| name = Joesef
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Joseph Traynor
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1995|07|10}}
| birth_place = Garthamlock, Glasgow, Scotland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = {{flatlist|
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| instrument =
| years_active = 2019–present
| label =
| website =
}}
Joseph Traynor,{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-26 |title=10 Questions with... Joesef |url=https://entertainment.ie/music/10-questions-with-joesef-550853/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Entertainment.ie |language=en}} known professionally as Joesef, is a Scottish singer from Glasgow.
Musical career
Joesef was born on 10 July 1995 and raised in Garthamlock, in the east end of Glasgow. Before his musical career, he had attended college before dropping out to work as a bartender.{{Cite web |title=Glasgow singer Joesef named on BBC 'sound of 2020' list |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/arts_ents/18127414.glasgow-singer-joesef-named-bbc-sound-2020-list/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=HeraldScotland |date=29 December 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=A MEETING WITH JOESEF - CRASH Magazine |url=https://www.crash.fr/a-meeting-with-joesef/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=www.crash.fr}} He played his first show at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in 2019 after only releasing clips of his music online.{{Cite web |title=Joesef: The Scottish soul-pop artist creating heartfelt, soulful anthems that strike a chord with audiences |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19734139.joesef-scottish-artist-creating-heartfelt-soulful-anthems-strike-chord-audiences/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=HeraldScotland |date=23 November 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Sophie |date=2021-09-27 |title=Joesef: Scottish soul-pop hero turning vulnerability into a rallying cry |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/joesef-interview-fire-2021-3054276 |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Sophie |date=2023-01-12 |title=Joesef – 'Permanent Damage' review: soul-pop with a real, impassioned lyrical edge |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/joesef-debut-album-permanent-damage-review-radar-3377980 |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} In 2019, he won Best Breakthrough Artist at the Scottish Music Awards.{{Cite web |title=Easterhouse star Joesef has a huge year ahead |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/entertainment/18153334.easterhouse-star-joesef-huge-year-ahead/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Glasgow Times |date=13 January 2020 |language=en}} He moved to London at the end of 2020.{{Cite web |title=Glasgow singer Joesef says It is pretty f**king mad to be playing the o2 Academy |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/20135497.glasgow-singer-joesef-says-pretty-f-king-mad-playing-o2-academy/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=Glasgow Times |date=14 May 2022 |language=en}} In 2020, Joesef was included on the long list for the BBC's Sound of 2020 prize.{{Cite news |date=2019-12-12 |title=Who is 'Sound of 2020' contender Joesef? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-50755752 |access-date=2023-04-22}} In 2021, his album Does It Make You Feel Good? was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Award.{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Carla |date=2021-09-16 |title=Garthamlock local Joesef nominated for prestigious music award |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/garthamlock-local-joesef-nominated-prestigious-21594079 |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=GlasgowLive |language=en}}
His debut album, Permanent Damage, a 13-track LP, was released on 13 January 2023.{{Cite web |title=Joesef shares new single 'Just Come Home With Me Tonight' |url=https://diymag.com/2022/11/18/joesef-new-video-just-come-home-with-me-tonight |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=DIY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Holly |first=Alex |date=2023-01-22 |title=Joesef's 'Permanent Damage' brings power and passion to a new era of neo-soul |url=https://www.campustimes.org/2023/01/22/joesefs-permanent-damage-brings-power-and-passion-to-a-new-era-of-neo-soul/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Campus Times |language=en-US}}
= Influences =
Joesef has described his musical influences as including Tyler, the Creator, The Cure, A Tribe Called Quest and Arlo Parks, the latter of whom he has supported on her international tour.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-14 |title=Get To Know... Joesef |url=https://diymag.com/feature/get-to-know-joesef |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=DIY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Crae |first=Ross |title=TRNSMT: Joesef on Glasgow's backing, being new to fame and friendship with Arlo Parks |url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/joesef-glasgow/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=The Sunday Post |date=15 September 2021 |language=en-US}} Elton John has expressed his enjoyment of Joesef's music.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Paul T. |date=2022-12-04 |title=Elton John admits he's 'in love' with Scots singer-songwriter Joesef's voice |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/elton-john-podcast-joesef-glasgow-28651954 |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}
Personal life
Joesef is bisexual,{{cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/04/12/joesef-bisexual-singer-songwriter-scotland-bbc-sound-straight-sexuality-young-people/|title=Bisexual singer Josef says what we're all thinking: That 'it's honestly weird to be straight' in 2020|website=PinkNews|last=Kelleher|first=Patrick|date=12 April 2020|access-date=18 January 2023}} and in 2022 was included in a Times Square billboard campaign supporting LGBTQ+ artists.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-12 |title=Joesef: 'It's such an unnatural experience to be a musician' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/joesef-musician-singer-glasgow-artist-b2296507.html |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=The Independent |language=en}} He has two older brothers.{{Cite web |last=McLean |first=Craig |date=2022-10-11 |title=Scottish soul-pop singer Joesef meets novelist Douglas Stuart |url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/features/joesef-musician-douglas-stuart-shuggie-bain-writer-interview-23792/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=Rolling Stone UK |language=en-GB}}
Discography
Studio albums
- Permanent Damage (2023)
Extended plays
Singles
- "Limbo" (2019)
- "Loverboy" (2019)
- "Don't Give In" (2019)
- "Think That I Don't Need Your Love" (2020)
- "The Sun Is Up Forever" (2020)
- "I Wonder Why" (featuring Loyle Carner) (2020)
- "Does It Make You Feel Good?" (2020)
- "Fire" (2021)
- "It's Been a Little Heavy Lately" (2022){{Cite web |title=Joesef unveils new single 'It's Been A Little Heavy Lately' |url=https://diymag.com/2022/02/04/joesef-new-its-been-a-little-heavy-lately |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=DIY |date=22 February 2022 |language=en}}
- "East End Coast" (2022)
- "Joe" (2022)
- "Just Come Home with Me Tonight" (2022)
- "Borderline" (2023)
- "Let's Stay Together" (2023)
- "Cynical" (2024)
- "Stephanie's Place" (2025)